Implantable vascular access ports are used extensively in the medical field to facilitate the performance of recurrent therapeutic tasks. A typical access port comprises a needle-impenetrable housing having a fluid reservoir that is sealed by a needle penetrable septum. The access port also includes an outlet stem which projects from the housing and provides a fluid passageway that communicates with the fluid reservoir. The outlet stem is used to couple the housing to a catheter. Specifically, the vascular access port is attached to the proximal end of the catheter. The distal end of the catheter is placed into a vessel. The access port is generally implanted subcutaneously at a location that is easily accessible.
Once the vascular access system is implanted, a non-coring needle, e.g., a Huber needle, attached to a feed line may be used to access the implanted vascular access port, by penetrating the septum, to deliver a desired medication. Alternatively, bodily fluids can be withdrawn from the location where the distal end of the catheter is placed.
During the implantation procedure for a typical implantable access port having a single reservoir, a subcutaneous pocket is first created to receive and house the access port. This is done by making an incision in the skin of the patient at the intended implantation site for the access port. The access port is then inserted beneath the skin through the incision. The outlet stem of the access port is usually received within the pocket last, after the proximal end of the access port is placed in the subcutaneous pocket. A catheter is first placed at a desired location within the patient and then coupled to the outlet stem of the access port. The coupling of the catheter to the outlet stem of the access port generally uses a locking apparatus.